Panther is cleaning House???

romoore245 · Aug 2, 2008

We just heard Panther has cut teams and fleet owners who have either caused problems or are less than profitable. If a team worked for a poor fleet owner they were cut as well. Guilt by association I guess. Has anyone else heard this, or was our source fired without cause? I couldn't imagine a company firing all the squeaky wheels that were suppose to get greased, what would keep everything moving?

I guess we better mind our P's and Q's and learn to kiss a little butt. Hahahaahhaha. That will be the day. I have been fired from some of the worst jobs available, for lack of kosher behavior, April has never been fired, but no body's perfect.

The lack of freight has always made companies panic, just like when Conway folded up, we only had three load offers during the entire month of July, we ran two of them. Now Panther is on the fringe of panic behavior, what's next UPS. Like that could happen they make more brokering freight, than they ever could moving expedite freight.
If we all just got our own authority, and joined OOIDA as a group. That would make a mess wouldn't it? Freight wouldn't move for less than $9.00 a mile on Mon-Thur then there would be crazy rates for Fri and Sat. Sun? Are you crazy we're union we don't work Sunday!!! That would be great, with inflation it would bring the rates back to what the old timers call "The good ole days!"

Then again for somebody this is "The good ole days."

Hope we all make the cut, but if not it has been a blast, and may every one's drive bring a good tail wind, no radars, and faulty photo enforcers.
Everyone be safe, and take care ...

jaminjim · Aug 2, 2008

If in fact they started to cull the fleet of poor performing trucks, I don't think that it's anything really new. They have done it before, and will do it again. If good performing trucks got caught up in the removal, I would think that those people have been identified and given good fleet owners names, and numbers.
If they in fact did remove poor performing fleets or problem causing owners from the fleet, I think it's great. We have all seen some of there trucks, and wonder how they could be kept at PII.

kangar0085 · Aug 2, 2008

If they are cleaning house I'm all for it. It seems like there is a very large number of van owners who are part time and they are congesting all the boards by turning down to much freight causing customers not to call back with good freight. It's only fair to clean up house it's fair to us who are out here weeks at a time and accept almost everything. Sometimes I see panther trucks that look like they're 20 years old and they are somehow still on the fleet. We need to cut down on these loose ends because freight has definitely slowed. I like panther's new plan it mirrors that of GM they are doing what needs to be done to survive...if in fact it's true.

theBeemer · Aug 2, 2008

I had gotten a satisfactory answer from one of their higher ups the other day..And in truth I believe him...Usally I am skeptical but this person did look me in the eye and did not flinch. I do not believe he lied to me.
He had stated they were having problems with people, being late, not showing up at all etc. I said I don't see how thats possible except in breakdown. We had talked some more and in truth he was right.Anyone can get into a van and go at it.
I was told recruiting is going to do a better job at thinning them out..
I was told to wait and give it two more weeks and see the changes..This would explain what your talking about....It has been a week. Actually have seen some already.

Falligator · Aug 3, 2008

Availability>>>100%
Acceptance>>96%
Safety>>>>>>95% (per dispatch this will go up once I have another month in or something...)
Not being offered a load for 2 days and getting my first real break in a little over 3 weeks>>>>>Priceless....

greg334 · Aug 3, 2008

How do they do the safety thing? Does that mean if you have 95% safety rating, you didn't hit a bus full of nuns or something?

hondaking38 · Aug 3, 2008

who knows i really havent met many people who arnt a 100% ontime,or 100% safety...now if its inservice...that there doing a clearing on.....i should be one of the first outta there..

Jefferson3000 · Aug 3, 2008

romoore245 said:
We just heard Panther has cut teams and fleet owners who have either caused problems or are less than profitable. If a team worked for a poor fleet owner they were cut as well. Guilt by association I guess. Has anyone else heard this, or was our source fired without cause? I couldn't imagine a company firing all the squeaky wheels that were suppose to get greased, what would keep everything moving?

I guess we better mind our P's and Q's and learn to kiss a little butt. Hahahaahhaha. That will be the day. I have been fired from some of the worst jobs available, for lack of kosher behavior, April has never been fired, but no body's perfect.

The lack of freight has always made companies panic, just like when Conway folded up, we only had three load offers during the entire month of July, we ran two of them. Now Panther is on the fringe of panic behavior, what's next UPS. Like that could happen they make more brokering freight, than they ever could moving expedite freight.
If we all just got our own authority, and joined OOIDA as a group. That would make a mess wouldn't it? Freight wouldn't move for less than $9.00 a mile on Mon-Thur then there would be crazy rates for Fri and Sat. Sun? Are you crazy we're union we don't work Sunday!!! That would be great, with inflation it would bring the rates back to what the old timers call "The good ole days!"

Then again for somebody this is "The good ole days."

Hope we all make the cut, but if not it has been a blast, and may every one's drive bring a good tail wind, no radars, and faulty photo enforcers.
Everyone be safe, and take care ...

Getting your authority won't solve it. I see stuff going on with a certain big name carrier's load board that would shock you: Freight going for less being brokered out, than any of you contractors would ever agree to run it for. There is a feeding frenzy right now. You just have to decide not to be a part of it and not panic.

Moot · Aug 3, 2008

kangar0085 said:
It seems like there is a very large number of van owners who are part time and they are congesting all the boards by turning down to much freight causing customers not to call back with good freight. It's only fair to clean up house it's fair to us who are out here weeks at a time and accept almost everything.

Well if that's the case then I should be getting my contract canceled real soon. The only numbers on Panther's scoreboard that are of concern to me are SAFETY and ONTIME.

Of course if Panther were to weed the people that "accept almost everything" including the team that took a Minneapolis to Flin Flon load at .27 f.s.c. well....

cheri1122 · Aug 3, 2008

Kanga, if you really believe that customers offer 'good' loads, after drivers take the 'bad' ones, you're not just drinking the kool-aid, you're taking a bath in it, I think. Customers offer cheap loads because they don't like paying fair rates, and I doubt they get more generous, next time. As long as someone will take the loads, why should they pay more?

LDB · Aug 4, 2008

There is no general "house cleaning" going on at Panther. Any information to the contrary is gossip.

BillChaffey · Aug 7, 2008

If "Conway" folded up why are there ton's of "Con-Way" Blue and White trucks on the road and also a ton of "CFI" Red and White on the road. There both Conway just spelled different.

LDB · Aug 7, 2008

Not related to Panther in any way but Conway overall didn't fold up. They sold just their expediting business to Panther and kept the remainder of their operations so those trucks are part of the remaining operation.

Turtle · Aug 7, 2008

Con-Way sold off everything but their core business, which was LTL and truckload. They got rid of the warehousing and retail logistics, among others, as well as the expedite division. Putting all their efforts back into their core business is what put them in the position to buy CFI.

BillChaffey · Aug 7, 2008

Thank you. There are still two, Con-way & CFI, lot's of Con-Way through Mississippi, Tenn, & Alabama. Are they seperate companies?

Turtle · Aug 7, 2008

No, Con-Way and CFI are not separate companies. They are operated separately, barely, under the same umbrella of "CFI and Con-Way Truckload." Many of the CFI and Con-Way Truckload trucks already have the same DOT numbers on the doors. We're now seeing CFI tractors pulling Con-Way trailers, and visa versa. Con-Way bought the debt-free and privately-held CFI for a cool $750 million and added it to it's Con-Way Truckload division, which generates more than $500 million anually in truckload revenue. Along with Con-Way Freight and Menlo Worldwide Logistics, Con-Way Truckload comprise nearly $5 billion a year inthe publicly traded Con-Way Inc. They have Con-Way Freight and Truckload divisions in both Mexico and Canada, as well.

dhalltoyo · Aug 9, 2008

Turtle said:
Con-Way sold off everything but their core business, which was LTL and truckload. They got rid of the warehousing and retail logistics, among others, as well as the expedite division. Putting all their efforts back into their core business is what put them in the position to buy CFI.

And there is also another carrier whose main business has always been LTL and truckload. Like Conway...they seem to be restructuring to sell off the expedite division. Recent changes within their organization indicate it could happen within the not-to-distant future.

jaminjim · Aug 9, 2008

who would that be Dave?

kangar0085 · Aug 11, 2008

cheri1122 said:
Kanga, if you really believe that customers offer 'good' loads, after drivers take the 'bad' ones, you're not just drinking the kool-aid, you're taking a bath in it, I think. Customers offer cheap loads because they don't like paying fair rates, and I doubt they get more generous, next time. As long as someone will take the loads, why should they pay more?

Well they do offer good loads and If I was one of them and it took me 2 hours to cover a load after calling carriers that promise quick coverage and fast delivery I'd go shop around the next time I had longer freight. The problem is you have these vacationing van drivers that take freight one way and go back home to deny 10 more loads and then take another longer one and they are just costing the rest of us all money. When you are in a van you have few choices and have to accomodate to the game. See I'm in a tractor and it makes sence for me to refuse to haul cheap freight because I'm not as limited as vans are but when you are in a van you have to do a mini or two especially in michigan and you're somewhat helped with a first out. You're not going to stop the Detroit Mi - Grand Rapids Mi orders from happening companies will continue to do business across the state, the only thing you're doing is hurting us all by denying so much freight. Again I must repeat myself you are in a van and are limited, t/t's and s/t's can deny freight all day in Mi and still be ok but if they accept it they will do even better. Panther needs to get rid of these high refusal drivers ASAP and cut down on insurance and weekly expendatures and maybe start covering some of these loads by offering it to the drivers that stay out there and work the system and watch their numbers, unfortunately having to accept minis from time to time. I'm in a t/t and I get offered crappy freight all the time short runs and minis all day but my acceptance rate is at 91 percent and I make alot more money then people that deny freight.